Carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone

ABSTRACT

A carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone includes a flexible body including a flexible display panel a flexible touch panel, and a communicating system received therein. The flexible touch panel is disposed on a surface of the flexible display panel. The flexible touch panel includes at least one carbon nanotube layer including a carbon nanotube film.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 fromChina Patent Application No. 200910107864.2, filed on Jun. 12, 2009 inthe China Intellectual Property Office. This application is related toapplication Ser. No. 12/286,145, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCHPANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No.12/286,216, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICEUSING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,152, filed Sep. 29, 2008,titled, “TOUCH PANEL, METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME AND DISPLAY DEVICEUSING THE SAME”, application Ser. No. 12/384,328, filed Apr. 2, 2009,titled, “PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT,” application Ser. No. 12/286,151,filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL, METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAMEAND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,160,filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THESAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,146, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled,“TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No.12/286,181, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICEUSING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,176, filed Sep. 29, 2008,titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” applicationSer. No. 12/286,219, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL, METHODFOR MAKING THE SAME AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser.No. 12/286,189, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAYDEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,179, filed Sep. 29,2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,”application Ser. No. 12/286,220, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCHPANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No.12/286,227, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICEUSING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,166, filed Sep. 29, 2008,titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” applicationSer. No. 12/286,178, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL ANDDISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,228, filedSep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL, METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME ANDDISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,144, filedSep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,”application Ser. No. 12/286,266, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCHPANEL,” application Ser. No. 12/286,141, filed Sep. 29, 2008, “TOUCHPANEL,” application Ser. No. 12/286,148, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled,“TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No.12/286,140, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCHABLE CONTROL DEVICE,”application Ser. No. 12/286,154, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCHPANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No.12/286,155, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL, METHOD FOR MAKINGTHE SAME, AND DISPLAY DEVICE ADOPTING THE SAME,” application Ser. No.12/286,153, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICEUSING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,184,filed Sep. 29, 2008,titled “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser.No. 12/286,175, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “METHOD FOR MAKING TOUCHPANEL,” application Ser. No. 12/286,195, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled,“METHOD FOR MAKING TOUCH PANEL,” application Ser. No. 12/286,227, filedSep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,”application Ser. No. 12/286,218, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCHPANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No.12/286,1428, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAYDEVICE USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/286,241, filed Sep. 29,2008, titled, “TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME,”application Ser. No. 12/286,143, filed Sep. 29, 2008, titled,“ELECTRONIC ELEMENT HAVING CARBON NANOTUBES,” application Ser. No.12/384,329, filed Apr. 2, 2009, titled, “PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT,”application Ser. No. 12/456,557, filed Jul. 2, 2009, titled, “TOUCHPANEL AND COMPUTER USING THE SAME,” application Ser. No. 12/459,544,filed Jul. 2, 2009, titled, “PORTABLE COMPUTER,” application Ser. No.12/583,158, filed Aug. 13, 2009, titled, “MOBILE PHONE.”

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to mobile phones and, in particular, to acarbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone employed with a flexibletouch panel.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, mobile phones can include a body, a display paneldisposed on a surface of the body, a touch panel disposed on the displaypanel and an input device, such as a keyboard attached on the surface ofthe body.

At present, different types of touch panels have been developed,including a resistance-type, a capacitance-type, an infrared-type, and asurface sound wave-type. The resistance-type and capacitance-type touchpanels have been widely used in mobile phones because of high accuracyand resolution.

A typical capacitance-type touch panel and a resistance-type touch panelincludes a transparent conductive layer, such as an indium tin oxide(ITO) layer. However, the ITO layer of the touch panel has poormechanical durability and poor flexibility.

What is needed, therefore, is a carbon nanotube based flexible mobilephone having an improved touch panel that can overcome theabove-described shortcomings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with referencesto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic, partially exploded view of a first embodiment ofa carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone having a resistive-typetouch panel.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the mobile phone of FIG. 1 bent in anannular shape.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the mobile phone of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an isometric, partially exploded view of a resistive-typetouch panel used in the flexible mobile phone of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the resistive-type touchpanel of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a scanning electron microscope image of a carbon nanotube filmused in the resistive touch panel of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the resistive-type touch panel of FIG. 4when in use.

FIG. 8 is a schematic, partially exploded view of a second embodiment ofa carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone having a capacitive-typetouch panel, shown in a foldaway position.

FIG. 9 is a top-view of the capacitive-type touch panel used in themobile phone of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the capacitive-typetouch panel of FIG. 9, taken alone line X-X.

FIG. 11 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the capacitive-typetouch panel of FIG. 9 when in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a first embodiment of a carbon nanotubebased flexible mobile phone 10 includes a flexible body 12, a flexibledisplay panel 14 and a flexible touch panel 16. The flexible displaypanel 14 is disposed on the flexible body 12. The flexible touch panel16 is attached on the flexible display panel 14.

The mobile phone 10 can be bent into an annular or a foldaway shapeaccording to design. Thus, the flexible body 12, the flexible displaypanel 14 and the flexible touch panel 16 have good flexibility and canbe bent repeatedly. In one embodiment, the flexible mobile phone 10 isbent into an annular shape (shown in FIG. 2) and can be worn on one'swrist.

The flexible body 12 may further include a flexible housing 122, acommunicating system 121, a central processing unit (CPU) 124, acontrolling unit 126, and a memory unit 128. The communicating system121 includes an antenna, a microphone 1204, and a speaker 1206. The CPU124, the controlling unit 126, the memory unit 128, the microphone 1204,the speaker 1206, and the flexible display panel 14 are received in thehousing 122. The antenna may be received in the flexible housing 122 orextend out of the surface of the housing 122. The CPU 124, thecontrolling unit 126, and the memory unit 128 may be mounted on aflexible integrated circuit board. The memory unit 128 and thecontrolling unit 126 are electrically connected to the CPU 124 viaconducting lines of the flexible integrated circuit board. The speaker1206, the microphone 1204, the antenna, the flexible display panel 14,and the flexible touch panel 16 are electrically connected to thecontrolling unit 126. The controlling unit 126 includes a touch-panelcontroller, a display controller, and a communicating controller. Thesecontrollers are used for controlling the flexible touch panel 16, theflexible display panel 14, the speaker 1206, the microphone 1204, andthe antenna. The memory unit 128 includes a random access memory and aread only memory and is configured to store instructions that can bedealt with and executed by the CPU 124, and signals which are displayedvia the flexible display panel 14. The antenna receives and sendssignals such as radio frequency signals. The radio frequency signals aretransported to the CPU 124 and transformed into audio signals.Accordingly, the speaker 1206 works under the control of the controllingunit 126. The microphone 1204 receives sounds and transforms the soundsinto audio signals. The audio signals are then transported to the CPU124 and transformed into radio frequency signals sent out via theantenna under the control of the controlling unit 126.

In one embodiment, a fixture 123 can be disposed on the two ends of theflexible housing 122. The shape and structure of the fixture 123 isarbitrary, and the flexible mobile phone 10 can be fixed by the fixture123. For example, the fixture 123 can include a threaded hole and a boltengaging with the threaded hole. In one embodiment shown in FIG. 2, thefixture 123 includes a pair of rings 1203 connected to one end of theflexible mobile phone 10 and a pair of hooks 1205 connected to the otherend of the flexible mobile phone 10. The rings 1203 can connect to thehooks 1205 to fix the flexible mobile phone 10 after being bent into anannulus. Since the fixture 123 is an optional device, the fixture 123can hold the flexible mobile phone 10 into any designed shape.

The flexible display panel 14 may be a flexible liquid crystal displaypanel, a flexible electrophoretic display, a flexible organic lightemitting display (OLED), or any other flexible display. The flexibledisplay panel 14 can be used for displaying information or images. Inone embodiment, the flexible display panel 14 is a flexible liquidcrystal display panel.

The flexible touch panel 16 may be spaced apart from the flexibledisplay panel 14 or integrated with the flexible display panel 14. Whenthe flexible touch panel 16 is integrated with the flexible displaypanel 14, it may be directly adhered onto the flexible display panel 14via paste or share a common substrate with the flexible display panel14. Users can input instructions for the flexible body 12 via touchingor pressing the flexible touch panel 16 by using an input device, suchas a pen or finger.

The area of the flexible touch panel 16 can be the same as that of theflexible display panel 14. Understandably, the flexible display panel 14can display a keyboard to touch.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the flexible touch panel 16 can be aresistive-type touch panel and includes a first electrode plate 162, asecond electrode plate 164, and a plurality of transparent dot spacers166 disposed between the first electrode plate 162 and the secondelectrode plate 164. The second electrode plate 164 is directly adheredto the flexible display panel 14.

The first electrode plate 162 includes a first substrate 1620, a firsttransparent conductive layer 1622, and two first electrodes 1624. Thefirst substrate 1620 has a planar structure, and includes a firstsurface. The transparent first conductive layer 1622 and the two firstelectrodes 1624 are mounted on the first surface of the first substrate1620. The two first electrodes 1624 are respectively disposed on the twoends of the first substrate 1620 along a first direction andelectrically connected to the first transparent conductive layer 1622.In one embodiment, the first direction is marked as the X-direction. Thesecond electrode plate 164 includes a second substrate 1640, a secondtransparent conductive layer 1642 and two second electrodes 1644. Thesecond substrate 1640 has a planar structure, and includes a secondsurface. The second surface of the second substrate 1640 is facing thefirst surface of the first substrate 1620. The second transparentconductive layer 1642 and the two second electrodes 1644 are disposed onthe second surface of the second substrate 1640. The two secondelectrodes 1644 are respectively disposed on the two ends of the secondtransparent conductive layer 1642 along a second direction andelectrically connected to the second transparent conductive layer 1642.The second direction is marked as the Y direction. The X direction issubstantially perpendicular to the Y direction, thus, the two firstelectrodes 1624 are substantially orthogonal to the two secondelectrodes 1644.

The first substrate 1620 and the second substrate 1640 can be atransparent and flexible film or plate made of polymer, resin, or anyother suitable flexible material. The flexible touch panel 16 can sharethe second substrate 1640 with the flexible display panel 14. A materialof the flexible film or plate can be one or more of polycarbonate (PC),polymethyl methacrylate acrylic (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate(PET), polyether polysulfones (PES), polyvinyl polychloride (PVC),benzocyclobutenes (BCB), polyesters, and acrylic resins. The thicknessof the first substrate 1620 and the second substrate 1640 can be in therange from about 1 millimeter (mm) to about 1 centimeter (cm). In oneembodiment, the first substrate 1620 and the second substrate 1640 ismade of PET, and the thickness of the first substrate 1620 and thesecond substrate 1640 is about 2 mm. Understandably, the material of thefirst substrate 1620 and the second substrate 1640 can be chosenaccording to a demand of the supporting role, flexibility and bendablecapability.

Furthermore, an insulating pad 168 can be disposed on the periphery ofthe second surface of the second electrode plate 164. The firstelectrode plate 162 is disposed on the insulating pad 168. The firsttransparent conductive layer 1622 of the first electrode plate 162 isfacing the second transparent conductive layer 1642 of the secondelectrode plate 164. The plurality of transparent dot spacers 166 isspaced apart from one another and disposed on the second transparentconductive layer 1642 of the second electrode plate 164. A distancebetween the first and second electrode plates 162, 164 is in a range ofabout 2 mm to about 100 micrometers (μm). The insulating pad 168 and thedot spacers 166 can be made of transparent resin or the like, forinsulating the first electrode plate 162 with the second electrode plate164. Understandably, if the resistive touch panel 16 is small enough,the dot spacers 166 may be omitted.

A transparent protective film 1626 may be disposed on the top surface ofthe first electrode plate 162. The transparent protective film 1626 maybe directly adhered on the first electrode plate 162 via paste, orcombined with the first electrode plate 162 via a heat-press method. Thetransparent protective film 1626 may be a plastic layer or a resinlayer, which are treated via surface rigid treating. The resin layer maybe made of benzo cyclo butane (BCB), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA),polymer resin, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or the like. In oneembodiment, the transparent protective film 1626 is made of PMMA, andconfigured for protecting the first electrode plate 162 by improvingwearability thereof. The transparent protective film 1626 may providesome additional function, such as decreasing glare and reflection.

The first and second transparent conductive layers 1622, 1642 are madeof a carbon nanotube layer. The carbon nanotube layer includes one ormore carbon nanotube films. The carbon nanotube film is formed by aplurality of carbon nanotubes, ordered or otherwise, and has a uniformthickness. The carbon nanotube film can be an ordered film or adisordered film. The ordered carbon nanotube film consists of orderedcarbon nanotubes. Ordered carbon nanotube films include films where thecarbon nanotubes are arranged along a primary direction. Examplesinclude films where the carbon nanotubes are arranged approximatelyalong a same direction or have two or more sections within each of whichthe carbon nanotubes are arranged approximately along a same direction(different sections can have different directions). In the orderedcarbon nanotube film, the carbon nanotubes can be primarily orientedalong a same direction. However, the ordered carbon nanotube film canalso have sections of carbon nanotubes aligned in a common direction.The ordered carbon nanotube film can have two or more sections, and thesections can have different alignments. The ordered carbon nanotube filmmay have a free-standing structure. The free-standing carbon nanotubefilm may include two types. One type is that the carbon nanotube filmneeds no substrate to support the carbon nanotubes thereof. Another typeis that the carbon nanotube film only needs one or more supporting dots(not shown) to support one or more points thereof. Thus, left parts ofthe carbon nanotube film are hung. In the ordered carbon nanotube films,the carbon nanotubes are oriented along a same preferred orientation andapproximately parallel to each other. The term “approximately” as usedherein means that it is impossible and unnecessary that each of carbonnanotubes in the carbon nanotube films be exactly parallel to oneanother, namely that every carbon nanotubes is parallel to each other,because in the course of fabricating the carbon nanotube film, somefactor, such as the change of drawing speed, affects the non-uniformdrawing force on the carbon nanotube film as the carbon nanotube film isdrawn from a carbon nanotube array. A film can be drawn from a carbonnanotube array, to form the ordered carbon nanotube film, namely a drawncarbon nanotube film. The drawn carbon nanotube film includes aplurality of successive and oriented carbon nanotubes joined end-to-endby van der Waals attractive force therebetween. The drawn carbonnanotube film is a free-standing film. The carbon nanotube film can betreated with an organic solvent to increase the mechanical strength andtoughness of the carbon nanotube film and reduce the coefficient offriction of the carbon nanotube film. A thickness of the carbon nanotubefilm can range from about 0.5 nanometers (nm) to about 100 μm.

The disordered carbon nanotube film consists of disordered carbonnanotubes. Disordered carbon nanotube films include randomly alignedcarbon nanotubes. When the disordered carbon nanotube film has a numberof the carbon nanotubes aligned in every direction that aresubstantially equal, the disordered carbon nanotube film can beisotropic. The disordered carbon nanotubes can be entangled with eachother and/or are approximately parallel to a surface of the disorderedcarbon nanotube film. The disordered carbon nanotube film may be aflocculated carbon nanotube film. The flocculated carbon nanotube filmcan include a plurality of long, curved, disordered carbon nanotubesentangled with each other. Furthermore, the carbon nanotubes in theflocculated carbon nanotube film can be isotropic. The carbon nanotubescan be substantially uniformly dispersed in the carbon nanotube film.Adjacent carbon nanotubes are attracted by van der Waals attractiveforce to form an entangled structure with micropores defined therein. Itis understood that the flocculated carbon nanotube film is very porous.Sizes of the micropores can be less than 10 μm. The porous nature of theflocculated carbon nanotube film will increase specific surface area ofthe carbon nanotube structure. Furthermore, due to the carbon nanotubesin the flocculated carbon nanotube film being entangled with each other,the touch panel 10 employing the flocculated carbon nanotube film hasexcellent durability, and can be fashioned into desired shapes with alow risk to the integrity of the flocculated carbon nanotube film. Thethickness of the flocculated carbon nanotube film can range from about0.5 nm to about 1 μm.

The pressed carbon nanotube film can be a free-standing carbon nanotubefilm. The carbon nanotubes in the pressed carbon nanotube film may bearranged along a same direction or arranged along different directions.When the carbon nanotubes in the pressed carbon nanotube film arearranged along a same direction, the pressed carbon nanotube film is aordered carbon nanotube film. When the carbon nanotubes in the pressedcarbon nanotube film are arranged along different directions, thepressed carbon nanotube film is a disordered carbon nanotube film. Thecarbon nanotubes in the pressed carbon nanotube film can rest upon eachother. Adjacent carbon nanotubes are attracted to each other andcombined by van der Waals attractive force. An angle between a primaryalignment direction of the carbon nanotubes and a surface of the pressedcarbon nanotube film is approximately 0 degrees to approximately 15degrees. The greater the pressure applied, the smaller the angle formed.When the carbon nanotubes in the pressed carbon nanotube film arearranged along different directions, the pressed carbon nanotube filmcan be isotropic. The thickness of the pressed carbon nanotube filmranges from about 0.5 nm to about 1 mm. Examples of pressed carbonnanotube film are taught by US application 20080299031A1 to Liu et al.

A length and a width of the carbon nanotube film can be arbitrarily setas desired. A thickness of the carbon nanotube film is in a range fromabout 0.5 nm to about 100 μm. The carbon nanotubes in the carbonnanotube film can be selected from the group consisting ofsingle-walled, double-walled, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, andcombinations thereof. Diameters of the single-walled carbon nanotubes,the double-walled carbon nanotubes, and the multi-walled carbonnanotubes can, respectively, be in the approximate range from about 0.5nm to about 50 nm, about 1 nm to about 50 nm, and about 1.5 nm to about50 nm.

Referring to FIG. 6, in one embodiment, the first transparent conductivelayer 122 and the second transparent conductive layer 124 each include acarbon nanotube layer. The carbon nanotube layer is an ordered carbonnanotube film. The carbon nanotube layer may include a number of carbonnanotube films stacked with each other. The carbon nanotubes of each ofthe carbon nanotube films are arranged alone a preferred orientation.The carbon nanotube film includes a number of carbon nanotube segmentsjoined end-to-end via van der Waals attractive forces therebetween. Thecarbon nanotube segments have a substantially same length and arecomposed of a number of approximately parallel arranged carbonnanotubes. In the present embodiment, the carbon nanotube films of thefirst transparent conductive layer 1622 are overlapped alone the firstdirection X, and the carbon nanotube films of the second transparentconductive layer 1624 are overlapped along the second direction Y. Thefirst direction X is crossed with the second direction Y. The carbonnanotube films have thickness of about 0.5 nm to 100 mm and width of0.01 cm to about 10 cm.

The flexible mobile phone 10 may further include a shielding layer 170disposed on the bottom surface of the flexible touch panel 16. Thematerial of the shielding layer 170 can be a conductive resin film, acarbon nanotube film, or another kind of flexible and conductive film.In one embodiment, the shielding layer 170 is a carbon nanotube film.The carbon nanotube film includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes, andthe orientation of the carbon nanotubes therein can be arbitrarilydetermined. Understandably, the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotubefilm of the shielding layer 170 can be arranged along a same direction.The carbon nanotube film is connected to ground and acts as shielding,thus enabling the flexible touch panel 16 to operate withoutinterference (e.g., electromagnetic interference).

The flexible mobile phone 10 may further include a passivation layer 172interposed between the flexible display panel 14 and the shielding layer170. The passivation layer 172 is used for preventing crosstalk,electrochemical corrosion, and so on, or reducing power consumption. Thepassivation layer 172 may be made of BCB, polymer resin and the like.

Referring to FIG. 7, in operation, a voltage of about 5 volts, forexample, is applied to the first and second electrodes plate 162, 164via the controlling unit 126. A user operates the flexible mobile phone10 by pressing or touching the touch panel 16 with a touch tool 18, suchas a finger, or a pen/stylus, while visually observing the flexibledisplay panel 14 through the touch panel 16. This pressing causes adeformation 182 of the first electrode plate 162. The deformation 182 ofthe first electrode plate 162 causes a connection between the firsttransparent conductive layer 1622 and the second transparent conductionlayer 1642 of the second electrode plate 164. Changes in voltages in thefirst direction of the first transparent conductive layer 1622 and thesecond direction of the second transparent conductive layer 1642 can bedetected by the controlling unit 126. The controlling unit 126 thentransforms the changes in voltages into coordinates of the pressingpoint and sends the coordinates thereof to the CPU 124. The CPU 124 thensends out commands according to the coordinates of the pressing point,and sends the commands to the controlling unit 126. The controlling unit126 controls the flexible display panel 14, the antenna, the microphone1204, and the speaker 1206 to operate according to the commands.

Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 11, a second embodiment of a flexible mobilephone 20 includes a flexible body 22, a flexible display panel 24 and aflexible touch panel 26. The flexible body 22 defines the flexibledisplay panel 24 thereon. The flexible touch panel 26 is disposed on theflexible display panel 24 far away from the flexible body 22. A fixture223 can be disposed on the ends of the flexible body 22. One embodimentof the fixture 223 includes two rings 2203 on one end of the flexiblebody 22 and two hooks 2205 on the other end of the flexible body 22.

In one embodiment, the flexible mobile phone 20 is a foldaway flexiblemobile phone. The flexible mobile phone 20 can be bent to reduce thevolume when not in use, and can be opened when in use. The way theflexible mobile phone 20 is bent is arbitrary. Thus, the flexible mobilephone 20 is portable.

The flexible touch panel 26 can be a capacitive-type touch panel. Theflexible touch panel 26 includes a substrate 262, a transparentconductive layer 264, at least two electrodes 268, and a transparentprotective film 266. The substrate 262 is adjacent to the flexibledisplay panel 24. The flexible touch panel 26 shares a common substrate262 with the flexible display panel 24. The substrate 262 includes afirst surface 2622 and a second surface 2624 opposite to the firstsurface 2622. The first surface 2622 is far away from the flexibledisplay panel 24. The transparent conductive layer 264 is mounted on thefirst surface 2622 of the substrate 262. At least two electrodes 268 aredisposed at the periphery of the transparent conductive layer 264,spaced from each other, and electrically connected to the transparentconductive layer 264 to form equipotential lines thereon. Thetransparent protective layer 266 can be directly disposed on thetransparent conductive layer 264 and the electrodes 268.

In the present embodiment, the four electrodes 268 are respectivelydisposed towards the edges or corner of the transparent conductive layer264 and are electrically connected therewith to form an equipotentialsurface on the transparent conductive layer 264. Understandably, thefour electrodes 268 can be disposed on different surfaces of thetransparent conductive layer 264 as long as equipotential lines can beformed on the transparent conductive layer 24.

Understandably, the four electrodes 268 can be disposed between thetransparent conductive layer 264 and the substrate 262 and electricallyconnected to the transparent conductive layer 264.

The substrate 262 has a curved structure or a planar structure andfunctions as a supporter for the flexible touch panel 26. The substrate262 can be made of polymer, resin, or any other suitable flexiblematerial. A material of the substrate 262 can be one or more ofpolycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate acrylic (PMMA), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyether polysulfones (PES), polyvinylpolychloride (PVC), benzocyclobutenes (BCB), polyesters, and acrylicresins. The thickness of the substrate 262 can be in the range fromabout 1 μm to about 1 cm. In one embodiment, the thickness of thesubstrate 262 is about 2 mm, and the material of the substrate 262 isPET.

The transparent conductive layer 264 includes a carbon nanotube layer.The carbon nanotube layer includes a number of uniformly arranged carbonnanotubes, and the carbon nanotubes are orderly, or disorderly arranged.In the present embodiment, the carbon nanotube layer of the transparentconductive layer 24 has the same configuration as the first and secondtransparent conductive layer 1622, 1642 of the first embodiment of theflexible mobile phone 10. Specifically, the carbon nanotube layer caninclude two ordered carbon nanotube films or disordered carbon nanotubefilms laid along two different directions.

The four electrodes 268 are made of metal, a carbon nanotube thin film,or the like. In the present embodiment, the four electrodes 268 arelayers of silver, copper, or foils of metal having strip-shapedstructures.

In order to prolong the life of the transparent conductive layer 264 andlimit capacitance between the touch point and the transparent conductivelayer 264, a transparent protective film 266 is disposed on thetransparent conductive layer 264 and the electrodes 268. The transparentprotective film 266 is made of benzocyclobutenes (BCB), polyesters,acrylic resins or the like, and configured for protecting thetransparent conductive layer 264 by improving wearability thereof. Thetransparent protective film 266 may provide some additional function,such as decreasing glare and reflection after special treatment.

In the present embodiment, the transparent protective film 266, which ismade of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is disposed on the transparentconductive layer 264 on which the electrodes 28 are mounted. Thetransparent protective film 266 has a hardness of 7H (H establishedaccording to Rockwell hardness test). Understandably, the hardness andthe thickness of the transparent protective film 266 may be varied inpractice as desired. The transparent protective film 266 is directlyadhered on the transparent conductive layer 264 via paste.

The flexible mobile phone 20 further includes a shielding layer 270disposed on the second surface 2624 of the substrate 262 when theflexible touch panel 26 is integrated with the flexible display panel24. The material of the shielding layer 270 can be conductive resinfilms, carbon nanotube films, or other flexible and conductive films. Inthe present embodiment, the shielding layer 270 is a carbon nanotubefilm. The carbon nanotube film includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes,and the orientation of the carbon nanotubes therein can be arbitrarilydetermined. Understandably, the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotubefilm of the shielding layer 270 can be arranged along a same direction.The carbon nanotube film is connected to ground and acts as shielding,thus enabling the flexible touch panel 26 to operate withoutinterference (e.g., electromagnetic interference).

The flexible mobile phone 20 may further include a passivation layer 272interposed between the flexible display panel 24 and the flexible touchpanel 26. The passivation layer 272 prevents crosstalk, electrochemicalcorrosion, reducing power consumption, and so on. The passivation layer272 is disposed between the shielding layer 270 and the flexible displaypanel 24. The passivation layer 272 may be made of benzocyclobutenes(BCB), polyesters, acrylic resins, or the like.

In use, a voltage is applied to the transparent conductive layer 264 viathe electrodes 268, thereby forming an equipotential surface on thetransparent conductive layer 264. A user operates the flexible displaypanel 24 by pressing or touching the transparent protective film 266 ofthe flexible touch panel 26 with a touch tool, such as a finger, or anelectrical pen/stylus, while visually observing the flexible displaypanel 24 through the flexible touch panel 26. Due to an electrical fieldof the user, a coupling capacitance forms between the touch tool and thetransparent conductive layer 264. For high frequency electrical current,the coupling capacitance is a conductor, and thus the touch tool takesaway a little current from the touch point. Currents flowing through thefour electrodes 268 cooperatively replace the current lost at the touchpoint. The quantity of current supplied by each electrode 268 isdirectly proportional to the distance from the touch point to theelectrode 268. The controlling unit 222 is used to calculate theproportion of the four supplied currents, thereby detecting coordinatesof the touch point on the flexible touch panel 26. Then the controllingunit 222 sends the coordinates of the touch point to the CPU 224. TheCPU 224 receives the coordinates, and processes the coordinates into acommand. Finally, the CPU 224 sends out the command to the controllingunit 222. The controlling unit 222 controls the display of the flexibledisplay panel 24 accordingly.

As described above, the carbon nanotube films employed in the flexibletouch panel has superior properties, such as excellent flexibility andbendable. Thus, the flexible touch panel and the flexible mobile phoneusing the same will have excellent flexibility and bendable.Furthermore, the carbon nanotube films have high transparency, therebypromoting improved brightness of the flexible touch panel and theflexible mobile phone using the same. Additionally, since the carbonnanotubes have excellent electrical conductivity properties, the carbonnanotube films have a uniform resistance distribution. Thus, theflexible touch panel and the flexible mobile phone adopting the carbonnanotube films have improved sensitivity and accuracy.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure isillustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially inmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principlesof the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad generalmeaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone, comprising: a flexiblebody having a flexible display panel; a communicating system disposed inthe flexible body; a flexible touch panel attached on the flexibledisplay panel, the flexible touch panel comprising at least onetransparent conductive layer, the at least one transparent conductivelayer comprising a carbon nanotube layer.
 2. The carbon nanotube basedflexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubelayer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially parallelto a surface of the carbon nanotube layer.
 3. The carbon nanotube basedflexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carbon nanotubelayer comprises a plurality of disordered carbon nanotubes whereinadjacent carbon nanotubes are attracted by van der Waals attractiveforce to form an entangled structure.
 4. The carbon nanotube basedflexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carbon nanotubelayer comprises a plurality of ordered carbon nanotubes arrangedapproximately along a same direction.
 5. The carbon nanotube basedflexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubelayer comprises at least one carbon nanotube film, the at least onecarbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes.
 6. Thecarbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 5,wherein the carbon nanotubes of the at least one carbon nanotube filmare connected end-to-end by van der Waals attractive forces therebetweenand are approximately parallel with each other.
 7. The carbon nanotubebased flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexibletouch panel shares a common substrate with the flexible display panel.8. The carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim1, wherein the flexible touch panel is adhered on a surface of theflexible display panel.
 9. The carbon nanotube based flexible mobilephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a shield layerinterposed between the flexible touch panel and the flexible displaypanel.
 10. The carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone as claimed inclaim 9, further comprising a passivation layer interposed between theflexible display panel and the shield layer.
 11. The carbon nanotubebased flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising aprotective layer disposed on a surface of the flexible touch panel awayfrom the flexible display panel.
 12. The carbon nanotube based flexiblemobile phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible touch panelcomprises a capacitive-type touch panel, the capacitive-type touch panelcomprising a flexible substrate disposed on the flexible display panel,the at least one transparent conductive layer disposed on the flexiblesubstrate away from the flexible display panel, and at least twoelectrodes spaced from each other and electrically connected to the atleast one transparent conductive layer.
 13. The carbon nanotube basedflexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least twoelectrodes are made of carbon nanotube film or conductive metal.
 14. Thecarbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 1,wherein the flexible touch panel is a resistive-type touch panel, theresistive-type touch panel comprising a first electrode plate and asecond electrode plate spaced apart from the first electrode plate, thefirst electrode plate comprising a first flexible substrate defining afirst surface, a first transparent conductive layer mounted on the firstsurface of the first substrate, and two first electrodes, the two firstelectrodes being fixed on two ends of the first transparent conductivelayer in an interval along a first direction; the first transparentconductive layer comprises the carbon nanotube layer, the carbonnanotube layer comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes arrangedapproximately along a first direction; the second electrode platecomprises a second substrate defining a second surface away from thedisplay panel, a second transparent conductive layer mounted on thesecond surface of the second transparent substrate, and two secondtransparent electrodes, the two second transparent electrodes beingfixed on the two ends of the first transparent conductive layer, thesecond conductive layer and the two second transparent electrodes of thesecond electrode plate facing the first electrode plate, the secondtransparent conductive layer comprising the carbon nanotube layer, thecarbon nanotube layer comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubesarranged approximately along a second direction substantiallyperpendicular to the first direction.
 15. The carbon nanotube basedflexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 14, wherein the resistivetouch panel comprises an insulated pad interposed between peripheries ofthe first and second electrode plates to space the first electrode platefrom the second electrode plate.
 16. The carbon nanotube based flexiblemobile phone as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first and secondtransparent electrodes are fixed on opposite ends of the first andsecond transparent conductive layer, respectively.
 17. The carbonnanotube based flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 14, wherein theresistive touch panel comprises a plurality of transparent dot spacerssandwiched between the first and second electrode plates to space thefirst electrode plate from the second electrode plate.
 18. The carbonnanotube based flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 14, wherein thecarbon nanotube layer is at least one carbon nanotube film.
 19. Thecarbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 18,wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a drawn carbon nanotubefilm, the carbon nanotubes in the drawn carbon nanotube film areoriented substantially along a same preferred orientation andapproximately parallel to each other.
 20. The carbon nanotube basedflexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least onecarbon nanotube film is a flocculated carbon nanotube film, theflocculated carbon nanotube film is porous and isotropic, and the carbonnanotube of the flocculated carbon nanotube film are entangled with eachother and uniformly dispersed in the flocculated carbon nanotube film;adjacent carbon nanotubes in the flocculated carbon nanotube film areattracted by van der Waals attractive force.
 21. The carbon nanotubebased flexible mobile phone as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at leastone carbon nanotube film is a pressed carbon nanotube film, the carbonnanotubes in the pressed carbon nanotube film are arranged substantiallyalong a same direction.
 22. The carbon nanotube based flexible mobilephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fixture disposed ontwo ends of the flexible body to make the flexible mobile phone maintaina designed shape.